Michael “Mike” Stephen Wagner died from complications of IPF (idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis) after spending a small fortune on drugs to fight the disease. Mike passed away on April 30, 2022, at home surrounded by loved ones. Mike was born in Great Falls, Mont., on April 1, 1948; he blamed his mother for making him an April Fool. His sister Nancy was born Dec. 15, 1941, making them “pre + post war babies”. His parents Nile Wagner and Maxine Stephens resided in Cut Bank, Mont., where his father and uncle Stan Wagner owned and operated Mr. Wagner Drilling Co. When Mike was five, his father took one of their two rigs to Poplar, Mont,. to do wildcat drilling for oil in the Williston Basin. After one summer in Poplar, the family moved to Wolf Point where they remained until 1965 when Mike, Maxine and his stepfather moved to Flaxville, Mont., where they became the new owners of Mike’s Bar. Mike went to Montana State University until his draft lottery number was called (lucky #32). He was a medic working as a supply clerk, almost as good as Radar O’Reilly (at least according to Mike). After 20 months of active duty, Mike was told to go home with full benefits or re-enlist for three years. The choice was clear to him, so he left Texas to return to MSU to major in history, with plans of going to law school. Shortly after returning to college, Mike started dating Judy — by far his best decision ever (his boys agree). They were married June 16, 1973, and graduated the next year; Judy with a BSN in nursing and Mike receiving a degree in American history. Mike worked the system, using all his electives and taking extra classes to pass the CPA exam — pretty much unheard of for someone without an accounting degree! Mike and Judy then moved to Washington, D.C., where Mike worked for the CIA from April 1974-1976 and Judy worked as a nurse at a private hospital. While Mike never shared the exact details of his work, he said that if he told us, he’d “have to take us out.” We’re pretty sure he did covert tax, but I guess no one will know for sure. After two years, they decided to return to Montana. There, Mike joined Blue Cross Blue Shield, working in Great Falls and Helena, retiring after 30 years as CFO and VP of Government Services. Mike made a lot of good friends and cherished the shared experiences with his BCBS gang. Mike served on several boards including TriWest Healthcare Alliance, Northern Plains Alliance and Western States Insurance Agency. Once you got to know him, most would call him fair, intelligent, hardworking and always a blast to hang out with during business trips. He was also honest and known for being a tad blunt and not one to sugarcoat his words. Mike often helped others navigate the healthcare system to get the treatment they needed. Mike’s career focused on helping those in need, whether it was Medicaid for people with limited resources, Medicare for older people or children. One of his greatest accomplishments was getting the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHiP) implemented to ensure that all children in Montana have access to health insurance. Mike and Judy also established an endowment at Montana State University to help students who need financial assistance (four annual scholarships: two for nursing, one for history, one for the library). They were also frequent donors to the library, as they saw it as a resource used by most students but often forgotten by donors who tend to support specific colleges. Mike was a caring and dedicated parent who helped his children in any way, including attending sporting events and always offering a helping hand. He raised his sons to be competitive, never letting them win in billiards. He adored his grandchildren who raved about his pancakes, baseball, boating and loved to go sledding with Papa in the winter. One thing that Mike didn’t do was wear hats or sing. Not for anybody. Ever. Mike enjoyed his retirement traveling to New York, Las Vegas and visiting his children and grandchildren. Mike and Judy spent extended winters relaxing in Maui, watching the beautiful sunsets. If Mike wasn’t snorkeling, he was probably playing blackjack, waterskiing or sharing jokes on his infamous email thread. Mike taught himself to waterski and continued until his late 60s. Mike cherished the extended time with his two adult sons, Judd and Mick, and his grandkids during his last years. He is survived by his loving wife, Judy; his sons, Judd (Catherine) and Mick (Hannah); his sister, Nancy (Duane); and his grandchildren, Devon, Hunter and Jayse. Mike held a special place in his heart for his extended North Dakota and Montana families, especially his niece Lauri, his nephew Donnie and their families. They will miss his great sense of humor and wonderful guidance. Mike’s funeral will take place at Helena Cathedral at 12 p.m. on Thursday, May 12. The burial will be at Resurrection Cemetery with military honors, and a memorial reception will be held at Lewis and Clark Brewing at 2:30 p.m. Mike’s family asks that anyone wishing to send their condolences please make donations to the IPF Foundation so that others will not have to experience the debilitating effects of IPF. Please visit www.aswfuneralhome. com to offer a condolence to the family or to share a memory of Mike. (Paid Obituary)

David Kirn, Iyážo Nağí “Whistling Spirit”, 53, of Poplar died April 29, 2022, at Billings Clinic. He was born Oct. 11, 1968, to Alma Jean Renz and Charles Kirn in Poplar. He was raised for a short period of time in St. Marie and moved with his mother and siblings back to Poplar where he spent most of his young childhood. He was a unique person that strived to do his best at all that he pursued. As a young man, he attended various schools growing up. In Bismarck, N.D., he attended the seventh and eighth grade while his mother went to nursing school. He also attended the Mormon placement program for one year. He returned to attend his freshman year at Poplar High School and played football. His sophomore year, he attended Chemawa Indian School in Salem, Ore. He returned to Poplar to finish up his high school years, but later finished his GED. He worked on oil rigs in North Dakota and Montana in his late 20s and early 30s. He has held various occupations with labor throughout his life until his death. He also attended the local community college and acquired an auto mechanics degree with Fort Peck Community College. He was currently pursuing a degree in diesel mechanics at FPCC. The early 90s, he met Mary Youpee, the mother of his two eldest children, Jessica E. Kirn and Jerome Kirn. In the late 90s, he met Shannon Merculieff, whom he later married. They had five children, Brandon Merculieff, JulieAnn Kirn-Firemoon, Jade Kirn, Josie Kirn and Jacqueline Kirn. This union lasted 20 years. They parted ways, but remained friends until his death. He enjoyed when any of his children and grandchildren came to visit him. He is survived by his children, Jessica E. Kirn, Jerome Kirn, Brandon Merculieff, JulieAnn Kirn-Firemoon, Jade Kirn, Josie Kirn, Jaqueline Kirn and the ones he loved as his own Jennifer Red Thunder, Daniel Red Thunder and Jenna Red Thunder; numerous grandchildren; and sisters, Leslie Jackson, Roberta Jackson, Ramona Jackson, Joann Todd and Danielle Crowe. He was preceded in death by his brother, Don Jackson. His funeral was held Thursday, May 5, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints in Poplar. Interment followed at Boxelder Cemetery. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel was entrusted with arrangements.

Darleen Stump-Brown Darleen Faye Stump-Brown, 77, of Poplar died May 2, 2022, at the Billings Clinic. She was born Aug. 8, 1944, to Pete and Eleanor Stump in Havre. She was part of a huge family and had seven siblings, Robert, Pete Jr., Keith “Keno”, Harold, Gordon, Ronald and Edwina. She grew up in the Rocky Boy area and attended schools there. She worked in the hospital systems in Havre where she met Archie Red Boy while he attended college. Eventually, they married. They had three children, Archie III, Sean and Brandy. The family moved to Poplar and continued their lives there, where she began working for the Fort Peck Tribes. They later divorced, but she stayed in Poplar and made it her home. In 1991, she met Tom “Pudd” Brown. They married on June 11, 1994, and they maintained their relationship until her death. She loved what she did with the tribes and especially loved her co-workers to the point where she would need to call her relatives and let them know how crazy they were. She loved to laugh and talk with people. In 2004, she cooked and fed the individuals that were taking part in the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Reenactment Voyage. But that’s how she was, very giving. She retired from the Fort Peck Tribes in 2017. She was preceded in death by a special aunt, Delilah Weeks; brothers, Pete Stump, Harold Stump and Keith “Keno” Stump; sister, Edwina Matte; and daughter, Brandy Red Boy-Birdsbill. She is survived by her husband, Tom “Pudd” Brown of Poplar; sons, Archie Red Boy and Sean Red Boy, both of Poplar; brothers, Gordon Stump of Salt Lake City, Utah, Robert Stump and Ronnie Stump of Rocky Boy; numerous grandchildren and a great-granddaughter. The funeral service was held Saturday, May 7, at the Assembly of God Church in Poplar. Interment was at the Redboy Family Cemetery in Riverside.

Terrance Kimberly “Kim” Billy, 66, of Wolf Point died May 7, 2022, at NEMHS. His funeral service was held Tuesday, May 10, at the new Community Hall in Wolf Point. Interment was in the Oswego Presbyterian Cemetery in Oswego under the direction of Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel.

Gloria Jean (Newman) Kloster, 74, died May 4, 2022, at Avera Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D. The oldest of four children, she was born in Sioux City, Iowa, to Donald Alfred and Elsie (Fowler) Newman on Christmas Eve, 1947. She grew up in Sioux City, Iowa; Homer, Neb.; Paulina, Iowa; and Madison, S.D., before the family moved in 1957 to Clark, S.D. She graduated from Clark High School and attended South Dakota State University in Brookings S.D., where she and her high school sweetheart, Martin G. “Marty” Kloster, were married on Sept. 11, 1967. Upon his ROTC commissioning, they became an active- duty Army family, traveling the world for 27 years and 19 moves. She served in many volunteer positions assisting and advocating for soldiers and their families, including as supervisor of Army Community Service, as a seven-year delegate to the Department of the Army’s Family Action Plan Symposium and as leader of family support groups for over 1,900 family members in a battalion whose soldiers were deployed in support of Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm and for more 2,400 members in a brigade that was spread throughout the Pacific Rim. She was selected as a Department of the Army certified trainer for the inaugural Army Family Team Building Program. She also served in a variety of volunteer positions in officers’ wives clubs worldwide, including president of the Fort Huachuca, Ariz., and Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., clubs, as well as an advisor and board chairman for military community thrift shops and Army family team building groups stateside and overseas. In addition to being nominated for Army Wife of the Year, she received numerous unit awards for her service and was awarded the Department of the Army Commendation Medal for Public Service from three separate Major Army Commands. She was a graduate of the Old Masters’ Art Academe Ad Modum Maroge in Boeblingen- Sindelfingen, Germany, and earned a degree in interior design from Monterey Peninsula College in Monterey, Calif. She taught watercolor and oil painting classes and was a juried member and president of the Eagle’s Eye Art Gallery in Monterey. She worked as the customer service manager for a financial publication firm in Alexandria, Va.; as a private English instructor in Sagamihara, Japan; as an instructional assistant for special education students in Alexandria, Va., and Brookings, S.D.; provided complimentary interior design classes for military families stateside and overseas; and taught Western-style interiors at a Japanese design school. Upon his retirement from the Army in 1997, they returned to Brookings, S.D., where she continued her volunteer service. She served seven years on the Brookings Historic Preservation Commission and stayed actively involved in community preservation issues. She was a member of the Brookings Woman’s Club and, with Marty, served as a cadet mentor through the SDSU ROTC Department. She joined the Optimist Club of Brookings in 1997, where she served in a variety of club officer positions and then continued in at zone, district and international levels. Highlights of her Optimist service were the years she served as the Brookings Optimist Club president (2001-02), as governor of the Dakotas, Manitoba, Minnesota District (2004-05) and as international vice president of the Great Plains Region (2010-11). Her interests included collecting antiques, restoration of their 1885 home, re-upholstery, Hawaiian-style quilting, entertaining, traveling, reading and especially “Grandma Time.” She also enjoyed collecting Christmas ornaments from the places they visited. She is survived by her husband, Marty; daughter, Michelle Downing; son, Martin Kloster; and numerous grandchildren. She was preceded in death by an infant sister, Patty Ann Newman; brother, Donald Ray Newman; and sister, Susan Oja. A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. May 13, at Clark Center Lutheran Church in Clark, S.D., with Paster Gary Anderson officiating. Visitation will take place for one hour preceding the service. Interment will follow at the Clark Center Cemetery.

Kevin Henry Seitz died on Sunday, May 1, 2022, at his home in Culbertson. He was born in Billings on Oct. 14, 1958, to Henry Herman and Arlys Jean Seitz. He grew up in Broadview, helping with the family farm which is where his love for farming and agriculture started. He attended Northern Montana College in Havre, where he received a farm and ranch management degree as well as a business administration degree. It is also where he met Rhonda Anderson (Seitz). They started their family in Billings. After moving around for a few years, they settled in Nezperce, Idaho, where all four children grew up and graduated from Nezperce High School. His job as a soil conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Services then took him to Williston, N.D., which allowed him to pursue his passion at a higher level. He and his wife resided in Culbertson, where he lived full time until his death. He was a road warrior. He spent many years driving (or following) his four children around to various sporting activities. There were countless hours spent in the gym coaching and practicing with his children. He never missed one of their games if he could help it. He coached many of his children’s basketball teams, making an impact not only on his own children for his love of the sport, but also made a difference to so many of his children’s friends. He continued to be a mentor to the youth of his community. He led by example and was a role model to his children. He taught them how to work hard, treat people with respect, and most importantly, that family is the most important thing in life. He enjoyed many things including being a member of the Nezperce Lions Club, hunting, fishing, gardening, basketball and refereeing, but spending time with his family was what he enjoyed most. He had the gift of gab. “Stranger” was not in his vocabulary. He could strike up a conversation with anyone. He is survived by his wife, Rhonda of Culbertson/Nezperce; son, Nathan Seitz of Grangeville, Idaho; three daughters, Melissa Strerath of Lewiston, Idaho, Michelle Cannon of Moscow, Idaho, and Kelsie Seitz of Lewiston, Idaho; numerous grandchildren; brothers, Jim Seitz of Acton and Dave Seitz of Billings; and sister Trish Kellogg of Camas, Wash. He was preceded in death by his twin brother, Keith Seitz. A funeral service was held Saturday, May 7, at Smiths Billings West End Chapel.

Lyle Hartvig Knudsen, 81, of Bain-ville died Thursday, May 5, 2022, at the Billings Clinic in Billings. He was born on Feb. 20, 1941, to Hartvig and Hazel Knudsen. His father died when Lyle was just five years old. He was raised on the family farm just north of Bainville along with his siblings Gerald, Wayne, Naoma, Beulah and Orabelle. Faith and family helped them through those tough times. He attended Bainville School and graduated in 1959. After high school, he worked as a farmhand and, in 1961, his sister Beulah introduced him to a coworker named Mary Madson. They were a perfect match and, in 1962, they were married in Ronan. They farmed north of Lanark and started a family. In that same year, he joined the Montana National Guard. He was honorably discharged in 1968 with the rank of E-5. He proved to be a good role model as his three boys all joined the National Guard when they got older. In 1970, he moved his family to Ronan, where he worked as a shop foreman for a Chrysler dealership. Eastern Montana called them back to Bainville in the mid ‘70s where he started Knudsen Repair Center where the Welcome Stop is presently located. He decided to get into the oil business in the ‘80s and started Knudsen Contract Pumping. Along with his sons, he worked many years in the oilfield and also worked as a school bus mechanic and bus driver for the Bainville School. He was mechanically minded and because of that talent many people would call or stop by the house asking questions about their vehicle issues for years after the repair shop had closed. He was a hardworking man his entire life. He found joy in the simple things each day. He enjoyed deer hunting, toe tapping gospel music and following the activities and growth of his grandchildren. He was an active member of Bainville Faith Fellowship Church. He along with other members helped to purchase, move and setup the church in its current location. He loved to travel with Mary whether it was on an Alaskan cruise, to see his sister Beulah in California or on the back roads of Montana. He would take Mary almost daily to the Welcome Stop for coffee and a visit with friends followed by a drive in the side by side to check on the town. He was preceded in death by his siblings, Gerald, Wayne, Naoma and Orabelle. He is survived by his wife, Mary; sister, Beulah; daughter, Sherry Welty; sons, Lane, Mike and Brent; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. His funeral service will be held on Sunday, May 15, at 2 p.m. (MST) at the Bainville School in Bainville. Pastor Lane Vannatta will officiate. Burial will be at the Bainville Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home Chapel in Williston on Friday, May 13, from 12 to 4 p.m. (CST) and one hour prior to the service time on Sunday. The funeral service will be livestreamed directly on his obituary page on Fulkerson Stevenson’s website at www.fulkersons. com.